Machine for labeling cans.



J. c. SHULTS.

MACHINE FOR LABELING CANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17. I915.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917;

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1. c. S HULTS.

MACHINE- FOR LABELING CANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17. l9l5. 1,246,668.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

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SHULTS. MACHINE FOR LABELING CANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. n. 1915.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

J. C. SHULTS.

MACHINE FOR LABELING CANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17.--1915.

246 6680 Patentefi Nov. 13, 1917.

. 4 SHEETS-SHUT A.

5 I3 I I03 m omen STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. SHULTS, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 1'0 RUSS AUTOMATIC LABELING 00., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MACHINE FOR LABELING CANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

Application filed April 17, 1915. Serial No. 21,947.

'Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Labelin Cans, of which the following is a full, 0 car, and exact specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for labeling cans, and has particular reference to improvements upon the general arrangement of machine disclosed in Patent No. 1,061,021, dated May 6, 1913. In this patent there is disclosed the broad combination of means for feeding, moistening, pasting, wrapping and stretching the label around the can, the labeled cans bein allowed to roll down an incline free 0 the machine as soon as the wrapping of the label is completed.

The present improvements consist in additions to the above combination of, first, mechanism for wringing the labels immediately upon leaving the moistening devices so that a more even moistening and pasting of the label is produced and thereby its stretching and even application to the can facilitated; secondly, in an improved form of positively driven guides for straightening the label immediately after it is pasted; and thirdly, in the provision of conveying means for carryin the labeled cans away from labeling position and at the same time holding the lap of the label to prevent it from coming loose, as is likely to happen by reason of the application of the label to the can under tension.

In addition to these features of improvement upon the general combination, the present invention also comprises an improved label separating and feeding mechanism whereby the labels are fed from the top of a pile by a novel separating mechanism and the pile is automatically maintained at a given level, whereby it is insured that but one label at a time can be separated and fed to the moistening and pasting mechanisms. A further feature of novelty consists in the mechanism which controls the feed of the cans to labeling position and the conveying of labeled cans out of the machine while holding the lap of the label against loosening. The invention also comprehends various improvements in the details of construction and the arrangements of parts, all

of which will be more fully understood in connection with the description of the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved machine;

Figs. 2 and 3 are an elevation and a plan, a

respectively, of the improved label feeding mechanism Fig. 4 is. an elevation on ancillarged .scale of the moistening, wringing, pasting,

straightening and'can labeling devices;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of part of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the can revoliving and label wrapping mechanisms, Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevation of the moistening, wringing and pasting mechan1sms.

1 represents a machine having at one end the label separating mechanism 2 which supplies labels to conveyers 3, which in turn feed the labels to the moistening and tempering apparatus 4;, thence to the wringers 5 which remove surplus moisture and deliver the labels to be pasted by the pasting devices 6 after havin been moistened and wrung out, the pastmg devices in turn delivering the labels to conveyers 7 associated with straightening disks 8, thence the label passes to the conveying and holding belts 9 from which the label is wrapped'around the can and simultaneously stretched while the can is held and rotated by the clamps 11. After the label is completely wrapped, the can is fed to the labeled can conveyer 12 which not only carries the cans away but carries devices which bear upon the lap of the label and prevent it from becoming loose while it is drying. 13 are cans to be labeled, 14 are labeled cans, and 15 are the labels to be ap lied to the cans.

Re erring now to Fig. 2, the labels 15 are stacked on a vertically movable support 16, which support carries a vertical rack 17, which rack is automatically lifted so as to keep the top of the pile of labels always at a predetermined level. A spring motor mechanism is preferably used for this purpose, the spring motor being of any usualor well known construction consisting of a winding shaft 26 geared to shaft 19, the latter having a ratchet 20 and pawls 21. The spring 26 is on shaft 26. The shaft 19 carries a pinion 23 which is geared to a larger gear 24 which is turned by a pinion 25 on shaft 26 by handle 27. By turning handle 27 oppositely to the arrow, the spring 26 on shaft 26 is wound up. The arrows in Fig. 2, show the directions of rotation asthe spring unwinds to feed up the label support. To control the unwinding of spring shaft 26, an escapement mechanism is provided which consists of a large gear 28 on shaft 19 which meshes with a pinion 29 on shaft 30 which carries a. gear 31 which meshes with a similar pinion 32 on shaft 33. The shaft 33 carries a gear 3 1 which drives a small pinion 35 which carries a flier 36. This gearing very considerably multiplies the revolutions of fiyer 36 from shaft 26, which through pinion 23 and gear 24 is geared to the rack 17 through gear 38. When the flyer 36 is prevented from turning, as by rod 39, the entire train of gearing is stationary, and thus the label support 16 is held stationary. When the spring is wound up, the support 16, through gears 25, 38 and rack 17 is lowered.

The rod 39 is mounted at the top of the machine above the labels on a rock shaft a0, and this rock shaft carries an arm 11 provided with a roller 12 which rests on the top label. When the roller 42 drops suficiently, the end of rod 39 will be thrown downwardly clear of flyer 36 and thus flyer 36 will rotate and through the reduction earing to gear 38 will gradually lift the rac; 17 and the pile of labels until the end of rod 39 again comes in the path of the revolving flyer 36. By suitable adjustments, this mechanism can be made so delicate that the pile of labels will automatically be fed upwardly as each one is withdrawn.

The label separator comprises a cross head 45, which reciprocates on guides 46, being operated from shaft 48 by pitmen 49. The cross head 45 carries two pivots 50, between which is mounted an arm 51 carrying rubber rollers 52 which bear on the top label. These rollers are rotatably mounted in the arm 51 but are held from rotating backwardly by a ratchet 53. During the feeding motion, which is the motion to the right in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the arm 51 and rollers 52 rest on the top label by'gravity and pull this top label from the other labels and push it forward into the bite of belts 54:. l have found that a mere reciprocatory roller is inefiective to separate single labels in this manner, but that by providing inclined sharp edged pins 56 at the rear side of the labels, against which pins the labels are pushed by lifting the support 16, it is absolutely assured that but one label will be fed at a time, even with very thin labels. These pins 56 are adjustabl mounted in cross bars 57, and are prefera ly shaped like a cross sec tion of a knife blade, that is, with the sharp edge pointing rearwardly or to the left. The

eas es pushing rollers 52, by reason of the engage ment of the ratchet 53, simply push the top label only and the knife pins 56 tear a fraction of an inch at the rear end of the label. As soon as the forward end of the label is grasped by the belts 54, the label is pulled to drop on the next label to push it off the top of the pile upon the next forward movement. Thestop 60 and the trip 63 can be made adjustable to suit various lengths of labels. The rollers 52 are adjustable in the arm 51 toward and from the pivots 50 so as to change the angle of thrust through arm 51 with the surface of the label. By adjusting this angle exactly the right thrust can be secured. Stop 63 is pivoted so that it can be turned back, thus preventing tripping of latch 61. This stops the feed of labels without stopping the entire machine.

From the belts 5 1 the label is delivered to a series of stationary deflector plates 65 which double the label reversely around the roll 66 which carries the label conveying belt 67. This belt 67 runs around a drum 68 which is interiorly heated as by gas or electric heaters '69 and carries on its surface a series of felt or other absorbent belts. The belt 67 runs through the water tank 70 and takes up water, which water is vaporized by the heat from the drum and caused to thoroughly moisten and temper the labels as they pass around the drum between the belts 67 and the felt cover on the drum itself. After the labels have passed around the drum the deflector plate projections 71, 72, strip the labels from the felt and direct them through the rubber wringer rollers 73. These are shown in detail in Fig. 7 The function of these wringer rollers 73 is very important, because it is found that many labels as they come through the moistener carry globules or drops of water. These interfere with the even distribution of the paste, but are entirely eliminated by the wringer rollers so that the labels will then take a clear and even coat of paste which will adhere to all portions, but which does not adhere wherever there are drops or globules of water. From the wringers 73 the moistened label passes to a belt 7 5 which conveys the label to the paste applying roller 76.

The paste applying roller 76' is supplied by a grooved roller 77 which rests by gravity on the applyin roller 76, but is held slightly spaced from t e dipping roller 7 8. 79 is a scraper which is adjusted by worm screw 80 and gear 81 to regulate the thickness of paste taken up by roller 78 and supplied to roller 77 and by the latter to the applying roller 76. It will be observed that there is a space between the paste applying roller 76 and the belt 75, but the label is held against the'bottom of the pasting roller 76 by disks 81 which are suitably driven so as to have the same rate of speed as the belts 75. 82 is a stripper which strips the label from the roller 76 and drops it on the conveyer 83. This consists of several endless belts with cross bars 84 thereon on which the label rests.

An important feature of this invention resides in the provision of positively driven straightening disks 86 which are beveled as shown, and which successively engage the forward edge of the label while it is being carried on belts 83 and straighten it so that its ends will be at right angles to the line of travel (see Fig. 5). From the belts 83, the label slides over a, small table 88 into the gripping belts 89, 90. The belt which engages the pasted side of the label, as 89, is provided with cross bars 91 which press into the surface of the label and grip it against tension of the smooth belt 90. 93 is an adjustment screw for controlling the tension of these belts so as to regulate the gripping force. From these belts 89, 90, the forward end of the label is fed over a table 94, pasted side up, onto the surface of the ositively driven labeling belt 96. This lt runs through a tank 97 containing a cleaning brush 98, which is also driven with the belt 96, so as to kee the surface of. these belts free from surp us paste. These labeling belts 96 run over fixed rollers 100, 101, 102, a vibratory roller 103 mounted on arms 104 and a reciprocating roller 105. The arms 104 are pivoted on the center of rolls 100 and are operated by a cam 107, which is mounted on shaft 108. The lower roller 105 is pressed by springs 106 (Fig. 6) so as to keep the proper tension on the labeling belts 96 at all times, and especially while the label is being carried between the belt and the rotating can 13 The tension of these springs 106 can be adjusted by the nuts shown.

' The cans to be labeled are supplied on an inclined track 110, which inclines toward the can conveying arm 111. 112 are. stop arms comprising a star wheel which holds the row of cans in the position shown in l ig. 1, except when the latch 113 engaging ratchet teeth 114 is tripped by the upward movement of the escapement trip 115 carried by arm 111. \Vhen the pawl v113 is dropped the star wheel 112 is free to turn one tooth owing to the weight of the loaded cans and the next tooth stops the remainder of the cans and at the same time the pawl 113 engages the ratchet 114. Thus, but one each other.

can is released at a time, which rolls down the track 110 into the arm 111 where it is held from dropping by fingers 116. The arm 111 is operated by cam 117 and at the proper time this cam 117 allows the arm 111, which carries the filled can, to drop so that the can is brought between the can gripping heads 120. One of these heads 120 is provided with teeth, as shown in Fig. 6, and both of them are provided with spring can expellers 121, which operate to expel the can free of the heads when the heads are withdrawn. The pressure of these spring fingers 121 is overcome by the greater pressure of the head springs-136, Fig. 6, as the heads contract and hold the can. The can gripping heads 120 are controlled by levers 122, respectively, pivoted at 123 and controlled by cams 124 on shaft 108. The shaft 108 is driven from the longitudinal shaft 126 through beveled gear 127 on shaft 128 carrying pinion 129 and driving gear 130. The shaft 128 also carries a gear 131 which drives the can head clamp 120 through gear 132, gear 131- being wide enough so that gear 132 can slide with clamping head 120 to release and grip the can 13. Springs 136 normally hold the can head clamps 120.contracted to tightly grip the can.

The parts are so timed that the can con veying arm 111 on its upward stroke releases one can which rolls down into the arm and is held against falling by the fingers 116. The arm then moves downward carrying the can between the heads 120, which then contract owing to the revolution of cams 124 and firmly grip the can, and at the same time. it commences to rotate. 'Also, as soon as the can is grasped by the heads 120, arm 104 moves -up under the influence of cam 107, thus wrapping the labeling belts 96 around the can. The belts S9, 90, now have the forward end of the straightened label in such position that it is grasped firmly action of the rotating can and the rotating belts 96, the 'rear end of the label is held back by the clamping action of the cross bars 91. wrapped around the can, but is simultaneously stretched intermediate its ends, and its forward and rear ends remain parallel to This permits the label to be stretched over the portions of unequal size on the can, and yet permitting the lap of the label (or the separated edges, if the label does not lap) to be parallel to each other. Itis not possible to do this unless the label be stretched at the time it is wrapped around the can, or else by cutting the label to a special shape which is expensive and objectionable.

Thus, the wrapper is not only Afterthe label has been wrapped around the can and stretched thereon, the heads 120 open, the springs 121 expel the can free of the heads and cause it to roll down the surface of belts 96 onto the downwardly inclined track 139. This discharge track 139 permits the cans to roll and be discharged into a rotating can carrier and discharger 140. lhis consists of a wheel having sides 141' between which the cans roll from track 139. lhe can receiving pockets are of flexible material, such as wire netting. Immediately after the cansland in the recesses therein, the pressing fingers 143 are caused to press on the can 13 opposite the lap por tion of the label, while the lap of the label is pressed firmly against the flexible material of the recess pockets (see bottom of Fig. 1). These fingers 143 are each mounted on rock shafts 144, which carry other fingers 145, and which in turn engage stationary cam 146 and open the fingers 143 so as to receive the can. The fingers 143 close as soon as the arms 145 pass the stationary cam 14?; and thus press the lap of the can firmly together While the carrier 140 is 11'0- tated. At the opposite side, the arms 145 successively strike an opposite stationary cam 148 which opens the fingers 143 and allows the cans to be finally discharged on track 150. During this time it will be seen that the lap has been positively held by the pressure of fingers 143 and the adhesive on the whole label has had sufficient time to set, so that when the can is finally released the ends do not come loose. I

It is believed that the features and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description and various modifications and changes in the specific details may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. in a can labeling machine, means for feeding a label, means for moistening, wringing and pasting the label, and means for supplying a can and pasting the label thereto.

2. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding a label, means for moistening, wringing and pasting the label, means for feeding a can, and means for wrapping and simultaneously stretching the label around the can.

3. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding a label, means for moistening, wringing and pasting the label, means for feeding a can, means for wrapping and simultaneously stretching the label around the can, and means for discharging the labeled can and pressing the end ofthe label to prees vent loosening.

declare that what I claim as new and desire nae-aces and means for feeding out the can and hold-- ing the lap of the label.

6. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding labels one by one from the top of a pile, pasting means, positively driven straightening means, and means for wrapping the pasted label around a can.

7. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding labels one by one from the top of a pile, moistening means, pasting means, positively driven straightening means, and

means for wrapping the pasted label around a can. i

8. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding labels one by one from the top of a pile, moistening means, pasting means, positively driven straightening means, and means for wrapping and simultaneously stretching the pasted label around a can.

9. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding labels one by one from the top of a pile, moistening means, pasting means, positively driven straighteningmeans, means for wrapping the pasted label around a can, and means for feeding out the can and holding the lap of the label.

- 10. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding labels one by one from the top of a pile, moistening means, pasting means, positively driven straightening means, means for wrapping and simultaneously stretching the pasted label around a can, and means for feeding out the can and holding the lap of the label.

11. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding labels one by one, pasting means, positively driven straightening means, and means for wrapping the pasted label around a can.

12. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding labels one by one, pasting means, moistening means, positively driven straightening means, and means for wrapping the pasted label around a can.

13. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding labels one by one, pasting means, moistening means, positively driven straightening means, and means for wrapping and simultaneously stretching the. pasted label around a can.

14. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding labels one by one, pasting means,

7 moistening means, positively driven straightening means, means for wrapping and simultaneously stretching the pasted label around a can, and means for feeding out the cans and holding the laps of the labels.

15. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding and pasting labels one by one, means for conveying the pasted labels from the pasting mechanism, a plurality of positively driven disks for straightening the pasted labels on said conveying means, and means for wrapping the labels around the cans.

16. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding, moistening and pasting labels one by one, means for conveying the pasted labels from the pasting mechanism, a plurality of positively driven disks for straightening the pasted labels on said conveying means, and means for wrapping and simultaneously stretching the labels around the cans.

17. In a can labeling machine, means for feeding, moistening and pasting labels one by one, means for conveying the pasted labels from the pasting mechanism, a plurality of positively driven disks for straightening the pasted labels on said conveying means, means for wrapping and simultaneously stretching the labels around the cans, and meansfor feeding out the cans and holding the laps of the labels.

18. In a can labeling machine, a support for a pile of labels, reciprocatory means for separating labels one by one from the top of the pile, means controlled by the pile height for automatically elevating the pile as the labels are withdrawn, means for moistening and pastin the labels, and means for'wrapping and simultaneouslystretching the label around the can.

19. In a machine for labeling cans, a rotating conveyer for receiving the labeled cans, means carried by said conveyer for pressing the end of the label on each can, and means for releasing said holding means to permit discharge of the cans after a predetermined movementof the conveyer.

20. In a machine for labeling cans, labeling means for stretching and wrapping a label around a can under tension, a traveling conveyer having a flexible pocket for receiving and transporting a labeled can, means for applying pressure to the can while traveling in said flexible pocket to press the lap of the label, and means for controlling said pressing means to permit the can to be received by said pocket from the labeling means and to be discharged therefrom at adistant point.

21. In a machine for labeling cans, a conveyer having a flexible, pocket for receiving a labeled can, means carried by said conveyer for applying pressure to the can in said flexible pocket to press the label thereon, and means for controlling said pressing means to permit the can to be received by said pocket and to be discharged therefrom.

22. In a machine for labeling cans, the. combination with means for feeding and applying pasted labels, of can feeding means comprising a track, a rotary star wheel for passing one canat a time, a swinging arm for carrying the released'can to the label applying means, can expelling means, and a conveyer for receiving the labeled cans, said conveyor carrying means for pressing down the lap of the label.

23. In a machine for labeling cans, the

combination with label feeding means, can

feeding means, and means for applying the label under tension, of means for feeding out the labeled cans, a conveyer carrying a plurality of pockets for receiving the labeled cans, mechanically operated means for pressing the lap of the labelwhile being carried in the conveyer, and means for releasing said pressure when the can is to be discharged from said conveyer.

24:. The combination with a moving conveyer having pockets for receiving labeled cans, of lap pressing fingers carried by said conveyer for each can pocket, and stationary cams for opening said fingersto discharge and receive a can, and for closing said fingers to press the label lap.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature,

Witnesses:

JoHN SoHULER, J. STEWART. 

